Why 2 May?
Flag Day of the Republic of Poland is a relatively young holiday. Prof. Marek Adamczewski points out that it was established only after the amendment of the 1980 Act:
On 20 February 2004, the Sejm amended the Act on the emblem, colours and anthem of 鈥� 1980, adding Article 6a reading as follows: 鈥� 2 May is hereby established as Flag Day of the Republic of Poland鈥�
However, the date was not obvious.
2 May as the date of Flag Day of the Republic of Poland was not the only date considered by the legislator when establishing a 鈥渇lag day鈥�.
The flag or the White Eagle??
Before the flag was granted its own holiday, consideration was also given to honouring another state symbol 鈥� the White Eagle.
In this rivalry between two distinguished symbols of Poland and the Polish people, it was the flag that emerged victorious.
As Prof. Adamczewski adds:
White Eagle Day, a holiday of the principal emblem of the Republic of Poland, remained only as a record of plans and proposals in the minutes of meetings of Senate committees.
Where did white and red come from?
The origins of the Polish colours should be sought in heraldry. White and red are connected with the coat of arms 鈥� a white eagle on a red field.
Heraldists are in agreement that the coronation of Przemys艂 II (1295) marked the beginning of the history of the White Eagle 鈥� initially the coat of arms of the Kings of Poland and subsequently the coat of arms of the Polish state in its various constitutional forms and with varying territorial extent.
鈥� says Prof. Adamczewski.
In the case of the colours themselves, the matter is less clear-cut
Heraldists are less unanimous when it comes to the beginnings of Polish state colours or the beginnings of the Polish state flag, although 鈥� it should be emphasised 鈥� they agree that the colours of the flag鈥檚 stripes 鈥� the white stripe and the red stripe 鈥� are related to the red field of the shield of the Polish coat of arms and to the white of the eagle placed against that red field
鈥� underlines the researcher.
The myth of 3 May 1792
It is often repeated that the origins of the Polish colours date back to the first anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of 3 May. Prof. Adamczewski, however, tempers this enthusiasm:
It seems that 鈥� despite the encouraging and tempting circumstances described in the sources 鈥� 3 May 1792 cannot be regarded as the date of birth of Polish state colours and, later, national colours.
According to the researcher, another moment is more important 鈥� 7 February 1831.
For the first time, state authority defined by regulation the colours which were to symbolise Poland and the Polish people, alongside the coat of arms.
The red colour also had its own history
The red used in today鈥檚 flag was not always defined in the same way.
In December 1927, the red of the shield of the eagle and the red of the lower stripe of the Polish state flag were defined as cinnabar red.
Earlier, other terms had been used:
Before December 1927, opinions appeared that the red of the Polish coat of arms and Polish state colours was amaranth or carmine.
The order of the stripes? That was not always certain either
Today, the white stripe is at the top and the red stripe at the bottom. For a long time, however, this was not obvious.
It was the legislator who determined the order of colours in the Polish state flag in the Act of 1 August 1919; until then, the white and red stripes had been arranged freely.
鈥� says Prof. Adamczewski and recalls an interesting example from the Ko艣ciuszko celebrations of 1917:
Demonstrators in Warsaw mostly raised white-and-red flags, while demonstrators in 艁贸d藕 raised red-and-white flags.
The national flag
The year 2004 was of breakthrough significance. Since then, the white-and-red flag may be flown freely, not only on state holidays. Since 2004, the white-and-red flag may be displayed without restrictions, including on days that are not state holidays.
Source: Prof. Marek Adamczewski
Edit: Kacper Szczepaniak, Centre for Brand Communications, 91桃色